The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-15

ed not only as a health-destroyer, but,
as health restOrer.
Image-building is an art in which we
are all adopts. Let any one troubled
with sleeplessness say to himself: II
know l shall not sleep tonight" and in
all probability, his declaration will come
true. But, let him place before his
mind the mental picture of himself
asleep; and if he can hold it steadily,
for little time, he will actually fall
asleep, whilst contemplating the i'm
age.
Again: person may be suffering
from depression Of spirits from which
he cannot rally. The shadows are ly-
ing full upon his face, but let him relax
the features and smile, be it ever so
grimly, and gradually the sOftening in
fluences of the happier mood will assert
themselves, and the gloom will he dis
PEELED. The emotion Of fear plays a
prominent part in what is termed dis
ease. 1t is one of the underlying causes,
and makes its approach with subtlety
and stealth characteristic of secret
foe.
1t is wonderful how fear insinuates
itself, consciously or unconsciously into
almost all of our daily dOings, translat-
ing itself into anxiety, melancholy and
narrowing apprehensions, whilst it ex-
presses itself through the body, in a
long catalogue Of ills and aches and
pains, imposing a severe strain upon
the stock of medical Latin to furnish it
with the dignifed titles belitting its
Importance. Napoleon says Goethe,
visited those sick Of the plague, in or
der to prove that the man who could
vanquish fear, could vanquish the
plague also, and he was right. 'Tis in
credible, what force the will has in such
cases. 1t penetrates the body, and puts
it in state of activity, which repels
all hurtful influences, whilst fear in
vites them"
Set over against the quality of fear,
the good purpose, that shall call upon
all the energies of life that shall make
the individual self-forgetful, and fear
at once loses its power. Emerson tells
us that "a high aim reacts on the means,
on the day, on the organs of the body.
A high aim is curative, as we'll as ar
MICA" These truths administered
may work wonders, not only les Ilting
in mental and physical health, but in
the added capacity for endurance, and
in meeting successfully the every day
events of life. But when the individ-
ual condition is such, that self -asser-
tion and its consequent righting seems
impossible, then other aids must needs
be called in to restore the balance and
self-pOise. Thought-transference is
widely acknowledged. Two persons
being together, will oftentimes, after a
period of silence, speak of the same
thing simultaneously, proving thought
to be communicable. Again, unnum-
bered instances are known, where dis
tance has seemed to interpOse no bar.
rier in the transmission of knowledge
between two parties.
These familiar facts help to build the
basis upon which mental healing must
stand when it essays to restore health
to the sick and suffering. With a firm
belief in the truth of thoughts absolut-
ism, the mental healer must approach
the patient with the thought medicine
that shall purge the mind of false con-
ceptions. Thus toned and stimulated
to healthful activity, it will in turn
assert itself in every minute physical
function of the body.